Ton up for “Krappie” as Lions welcome Edinburgh in URC

2026-03-20 - 08:20

Springbok scrumhalf Morne “Krappie” van den Berg will make his 100th international appearance for the Lions when they take on Edinburgh in their United Rugby Championship (URC) match at Ellis Park on Saturday afternoon (kick-off 2:45pm). Affectionately known by his nickname “Krappie”, the nuggety halfback made his debut in 2019 and has since developed into one of the Lions’ most influential players, earning national honours along the way. The Lions also welcome back fellow Springboks Ruan Venter and Asenathi Ntlabakanye to the starting XV, who return to the match day squad after missing the clash against the Stormers, loose forward Venter due to concussion protocols and prop Ntlabakanye following a family bereavement. Amongst the backs, centre Erich Cronje, who played off the bench against the Stormers, comes in on the left wing replacing the injured Kelly Mpeku. Speedster Angelo Davids occupies the opposite wing after an impressive showing against the Stormers nearly three weeks ago. SA Shield Fresh from securing the SA Shield, head coach Ivan van Rooyen believes plenty still needs to be done towards the bigger goal which is a play-off spot for his side. The Lions mentor, looking ahead to Saturday, believes the battle upfront will be a telling one, setting the tone for this encounter, also bearing in mind that future Lion Boan Venter will be eager to give his future employers a taste of what’s to come. “We are really proud of winning the SA Shield. But our work’s not done yet. In the last few seasons, we were dependent on other results going our way to qualify,” said Van Rooyen. “We definitely feel we need to be more consistent in the scrums. Boan has done really well over the past year, for Edinburgh and the Boks. I think he will want to prove a point on Saturday before he joins us next season.” On the bench, van Rooyen has opted for power and late-game intensity, calling on Batho Hlekani, Renzo du Plessis, and Haashim Pead, among others, to make an impact in the second half. This fixture marks the first of four consecutive home games for the Lions as they push to secure a play-off position before travelling to Ireland for their remaining fixtures. Lions XV Quan Horn, Angelo Davids, Henco van Wyk, Bronson Mills, Erich Cronje, Chris Smith, Morne van den Berg, Francke Horn (c), Ruan Venter, Siba Mahashe, Darrien Landsberg, Etienne Oosthuizen, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, PJ Botha, SJ Kotze Bench: Franco Marais, Eddie Davids, RF Schoeman, Reinhard Nothnagel, Batho Hlekani, Renzo du Plessis, Haashim Pead, Richard Kriel